Taking over the site that, for over half a century, was Gaylord Indian restaurant, Mortimer Street's Pali Hill is the first British site from Indian restaurateurs Rahul Khanna and Kabir Suri. Offering sharing-style plates inspired by the food of Mumbai in a contemporary setting, Pali Hill's seasonal menu covers a lot of ground. It also benefits from a separate underground cocktail bar, Bhandra Bhai, which aims to recreate the vibe of an Indian smuggling den.
The 60-cover space combines traditional elements of Indian design with a some more contemporary elements. The relatively spacious upstairs dining room has a small bar, as well as an open kitchen at the far end, while Bhandra Bhai downstairs is a cosier affair aith soft furnishings a plenty.
The food menu is split into small plates, dishes cooked on the tandoor or grill, and big plates, all of which are designed to be shared by the whole table. Small plates range from a chickpea sundal served with fennel, to roasted aubergine topped with yoghurt, mint, toasted cumin, and pinenuts. Meanwhile dishes from the grill include lamb cutlets with crispy curry leaves and a mint raita and venison tikka "junglee maas".
Larger dishes vary from Suffolk lamb biryani to seabass steamed in banana leaf, while a short selection of refreshing desserts includes pomegranate ice gola, and carrot halwa. All the sections of Pali Hill's menu also contain vegan and gluten free options, meaning that there's something for everyone.
When it comes to drinks, there are number of alcoholic and non-alcoholic house cocktails on offer as well as beers on tap, boozy lassis, and more. There is also a decent wine list which features a variety of different options both by the glass and bottle.
Pali Hill's conventient location makes it a great option next time you're looking for a decent, but not overly priced meal in Central London.